TCI Magazine Audio Edition

BY JOHN BALL, PH.D., BCMA, CTSP They came from tree crews of the largest tree care companies in the United States. They worked alone as the sole proprietor of their own companies. They performed line-clearance work along overhead power lines, pruned trees in residential backyards and removed trees in city parks. They worked for companies with words such as “Tree Experts,” “Tree Service” and “Tree...

BY ANDY JONES, CTSP, AND NICK GREENWOOD, CTSP  In Part 1 of this series, we discussed the need for supplemental support systems and the reasons we rely on cabling systems to serve as solutions for many structural vulnerabilities. In this article, we will cover some needed clarifications regarding the new A300-2023 as it applies to cabling. We then will revisit “proactive” vs. “reactive” cabling. F...

BY PATRICIA CHAUDOIN For David Raines, owner of Raines Tree Care in Bentonville, Arkansas – a TCIA member company since 2015 – the morning of May 26 started out like any other Sunday, until he saw the stream of text messages from family and friends asking if he was OK.  Remember to get your free subscription to TCI Magazine by clicking here .

BY STEVEN F. PREGLER In a recent article I read, an 18-year-old was killed by a falling tree while cleaning up storm damage. How tragic! Injuries and death can happen to anyone. They happen to homeowners and professionals alike. We read about them each month in the “Accident Briefs” of this magazine. How many incidents never get reported and become part of our industry statistics? Remember to get...

BY MARK E. BATTERSBY It’s no secret that many tree care businesses are adding electric or zero-emission vehicles to their fleets. Chipper and bucket trucks, vans, dump trucks – just about every commercial vehicle has an electric option. Remember to get your free subscription to TCI Magazine by clicking here .

BY PATRICIA CHAUDOIN Tim Scherpenisse, owner of New Life Arboricultural Services based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, is adamant about maintaining a slow and steady rate of growth within his company. “We’re always growing and looking for the next legacy client, but if the opportunity does not align with our core values, we pass,” he notes, adding, “For us, it’s all about controlled growth.” Remember t...

BY TRACEY MILLER For many attendees, TCI EXPO is not just an event; it’s a pilgrimage for tree care professionals, a place to meet new friends and reunite with old ones. The industry is growing and changing rapidly, and many companies bring their whole teams each year.  Remember to get your free subscription to TCI Magazine by clicking here .

BY RUDY RUTEMILLER, TIMOTHY M. WALSH, CTSP, and JEREMY LEWIS In November 2023, at TCI EXPO in St. Louis, Missouri, we three authors presented two case studies where The Davey Tree Expert Company and Petzl worked congruently to find safe and compliant work-positioning solutions for crews on unique and nontraditional work sites.  Remember to get your free subscription to TCI Magazine by clicking her...

BY CHRISTOPHER J. LULEY, PH.D., AND KEVIN T. SMITH, PH.D. Part 1 of this two-part series, “Heartwood and Heart Rot, Part 1: Are They Important to Arborists?” ran in the May 2023 issue of TCI Magazine. Remember to get your free subscription to TCI Magazine by clicking here .

BY JEFF INMAN JR., CTSP Do you think about weights when rigging, or just tie stuff on and proceed to cutting? Are you someone who spends time factoring in angles, vectors and the system that needs to be built for the task ahead, or are you just throwing a rope up there and hoping for the best?  Remember to get your free subscription to TCI Magazine by clicking here .

BY ANTHONY TRESSELT, CTSP As with any technical undertaking, there are various ways to mitigate or dissipate force in our rigging systems. Remember to get your free subscription to TCI Magazine by clicking here .

BY ARABELLA ARDEN “CTSP, it’s who I am,” states Kristoffer Rasmussen,  TCIA Accreditation auditor and the owner of  arboriststrong.com, a tree care safety consulting company based in Azle, Texas.  Remember to get your free subscription to TCI Magazine by clicking here .

BY TAMSIN VENN “Getting the tree down is no longer the problem, managing the wood waste is. ‘Now what do I do with all this volume?’ Remember to get your free subscription to TCI Magazine by clicking here .

BY KELPIE WILSON The following is an excerpt from Kelpie Wilson’s new book, “The Biochar Handbook” (Chelsea Green Publishing June 2024), and is printed with permission from the publisher.  Remember to get your free subscription to TCI Magazine by clicking here .

BY TAMSIN VENN In February 2024, The Davey Tree Expert Company fired up its new biochar facility in East Dundee, Illinois. The facility recycles wood waste from its many client properties in the Chicago area and turns it into an environmentally friendly soil additive, biochar. Remember to get your free subscription to TCI Magazine by clicking here .

BY GEOFF KEMPTER Revisions to ANSI A300 standards often reflect emerging research or attempts to balance tree health with economics and safety. Remember to get your free subscription to TCI Magazine by clicking here .

BY ANDY JONES, CTSP, AND NICK GREENWOOD, CTSP  At TCI EXPO ’23 in St. Louis, Missouri, we hosted a training on the show floor called “Cabling Made Easy.” With the assist of our training partner, Thomas Paine, CTSP, we demonstrated our preferred method of cable installation and attempted to explain the merits of this method. Remember to get your free subscription to TCI Magazine by clicking here .

BY GLYNN C. PERCIVAL, PH.D. The benefits of a woodchip mulch layer over the root system of a tree are now widely recognized. These include conservation of soil moisture to reduce the detrimental effects of drought and weed suppression, and, as the mulch layer is degraded, the nutrients released provide a valuable organic fertilizer. Remember to get your free subscription to TCI Magazine by clickin...

BY HANS J. TIELMANN III, CTSP As a New Jersey Licensed Tree Expert, TCIA Certified Treecare Safety Professional (CTSP) and TCIA Qualified Trainer, I have witnessed the profound impact that technological advancements have had on the tree care industry.  Remember to get your free subscription to TCI Magazine by clicking here .

BY RICK HOWLAND It’s become a given. Compact loaders and mini skid steers are a godsend for the tree care industry. They come in several configurations – ride in or on, stand on, perhaps articulated, wheeled or tracked.  Remember to get your free subscription to TCI Magazine by clicking here .

By TAMSIN VENN  As health & safety manager, Josue Palacios oversees the safety training of a largely Hispanic workforce at Rancho Tree Service, a six-year TCIA member company headquartered in Bakersfield, California.  Remember to get your free subscription to TCI Magazine by clicking here .

BY JOHN BALL, PH.D., BCMA, CTSP Arborists work within an array of regulations, standards and policies. The foundation for these is the federal Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Act of 1970.  Remember to get your free subscription to TCI Magazine by clicking here .

BY KARSTEN FOERSTER In the various recreational climbing disciplines, you will often hear risk or hazards categorized in two ways: “subjective” and “objective.” Acknowledging and categorizing these different hazards can help us choose the most effective path for mitigation or remedy. Remember to get your free subscription to TCI Magazine by clicking here .

BY JEFF JEPSON The following is an excerpt from the newly revised “The Tree Climber’s Companion,” by Jeff Jepson. This excerpt, mostly new content from Part 1 of the revision, was adapted for TCI Magazine by Jeff Jepson. Remember to get your free subscription to TCI Magazine by clicking here .

BY RICK HOWLAND  While there may be a slew of reasons for it, one thing seems certain: demand for insulated compact lifts in tree care is growing. In this article, we look at what is driving the increase in demand for insulated models, some of the equipment that is available and its features and benefits. Remember to get your free subscription to TCI Magazine by clicking here .